Fedorov’s chances are higher than those of Trotz and Cassidy
It is curious that in North America they sleep and see that Sergei Fedorov will become the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.
Las Vegas bookmakers even take bets on it. According to them, the probability of Fedorov leading Detroit is estimated at a factor of 3.5. So you bet $1,000 that it can happen and you get $3,500.
The chances of other trainers are lower. Peter Debour – odds 4.0, Bruce Cassidy, recently fired from Boston, – 4.5, Barry Trotz, who suddenly said goodbye to the New York Islanders, – 6.0.
This topic is covered in a recent Detroit Free Press article:
“Fedorov will undoubtedly be a bold choice for Steve Yzerman. When he became general manager of the Red Wings, he left Jeff Blashill as head coach. He was said goodbye on April 30, and now Yzerman will make his first choice as Detroit coach.
A bet on his former teammate Fedorov would certainly look bold.
After Sergei Fedorov hung up his skates in 2012, he was general manager of CSKA for five years, and last season he became a coach in this KHL team. He immediately won the Gagarin Cup and was also part of the headquarters of the Russian team, which won silver at the Olympics.
Fedorov is one of the great Red Wings players of all time. And if he hadn’t left as a free agent in 2003, his number 91 would almost certainly have hung under Little Caesars Arena. Fedorov turned down a five-year, $50 million contract extension offered to him personally by owner Mike Ilic and opted to move to Southern California, where he wanted to live so badly, by signing with the Ducks. Anaheim.
Two seasons later, the Ducks traded him to Columbus, after which Fedorov ended his NHL career playing for the Washington Capitals. He was booed when he showed up at the Joe Louis Arena. It wasn’t until his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 that relations with Red Wings fans and owners became normal.
Yzerman is looking for a new head coach for Detroit, and he hasn’t commented on the matter since May 2. Then he said he was open to applications, including European ones. Granted, no European has been hired as an NHL head coach since Aalpo Suhonen took over Chicago in 2001 and Ivan Glinka took over Pittsburgh. And it didn’t end well. Suhonen only worked for one season, and Glinka was fired just over a year later, and he had a dispute with Jaromir Jagr.
But in Fedorov’s case, it would be a historic decision. Because Yzerman brings like-minded people together in old-school Detroit at headquarters. In January, he hired Swede Niklas Lidström as vice-president of hockey operations. Incidentally, the Red Wings selected Fedorov and Lidstrom in the same 1989 draft.
Recall also that Yzerman was the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, then that he showed an addiction to dark horses when he put as head coaches not venerable specialists with a name in the NHL, but mentors of the AHL Farm Club – Guy Boucher and John Cooper.
If Yzerman is leaning towards that option this time around, then Derek Lalonde, assistant coach in Steve’s final year at the Lightning, could also be on the list. It could be Mike Velucci, who also worked as an AHL coach and assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marco Sturm (Los Angeles Kings) and Spencer Carbury (Toronto Maple Leafs) are possible in this position. But the probability of naming the same Velucci in bookmakers is estimated with a coefficient of 11.0, and Lalonda – 12.0. Fedorov has the best chance.
The adventure was a year ago
Here is such an interesting article. And fresh. Although in America they already translated the words of Fedorov when asked at a press conference in Russia after the CSKA championship: “Is it true that you can become the head coach of Detroit Red Wings?
To this, Fedorov briefly replied that these were just rumors and no one had negotiated with him. Granted, those questions were in early May, when Yzerman had just fired Blashill and hadn’t had time to negotiate with anyone yet. How do we know Yzerman didn’t call Fedorov a few weeks ago?
I asked my source close to the Red Wings: “Is it true that Fedorov can lead the club?”
They answered me like this: “Yesterday I spoke with Aizerman. He has not yet decided who will be the head coach. But Fedorov seems a dubious candidate. He has no NHL experience.”
Well, yes, that would be an adventure. But the fact that a year ago the supervisory board of CSKA appointed Sergei Fedorov as the head coach of the military club seemed to be the same adventure.
I remember the headlines of the time: “Have CSKA gone mad? Why was Igor Nikitin fired? The bet on Fedorov seems absurd.
A year has passed and Sergei Fedorov has denied all these headlines. Well, let’s just imagine that Yzerman called Fedorov and made him an offer. But they’re on a short call, and on CSKA’s social media they even posted in December how Stevie congratulates the Feds on his birthday.
He would have had carte blanche in Detroit. The team does not enter the playoffs, there are a lot of young people there and no one will scold them for poor results.
And when else will there be a chance for a Russian coach to work in the NHL?
Fedorov has a contract with CSKA for another two years
A few years ago I spoke with Fedorov, and he said he was following Detroit closely. And he highly appreciates the managerial talent of Steve Yzerman. In a commercial league like the NHL, it takes time to build a team. Fedorov then estimated that Detroit would be at its zenith again in seven years. It’s quite long, but you can imagine the ruins the team has found itself in for the past few years. It was now that talents such as defender Moritz Seider, striker Lucas Raymond began to appear… Yzerman came, and work began on the draft, the payroll was cleared of heavy and empty contracts .
I made a request to CSKA, and the club’s press service officially informed me: “Sergey Fedorov has a valid contract with CSKA for the next two years.”
So Fedorov is not a free agent now. And it’s not easy to get a good coach out of a KHL club, especially if it’s a champion club.
If anything can be here, then only if Fedorov and CSKA agree to terminate the contract by mutual consent. But Sergei Viktorovich himself emphasizes that he is aware of rumors that he is being asked to marry in Detroit. However, he himself does not think about this option.
There is simply no reason.
As I know, Fedorov’s immediate plans after the holidays are to go to Minsk with CSKA for training camps, and not fly to Michigan for negotiations.
My version: Yzerman, even if he wants to, will not persuade Fedorov to run Detroit. At least for now.
Well, in a year, who knows. We have a very dynamic league in the KHL, any decision can be made with the snap of a finger. If Fedorov becomes free – then, Stevie, call now!
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
